Cobb: Schools confront a $100 million deficit. Jobs will be cut.
For the last three weeks, we have been talking about the extensive DeKalb and Fulton school cuts, but now the focus shifts to Cobb where a spokesman said today that the county is facing a $100 million deficit. (Next up: Gwinnett.)
“We have already taken steps to let our staff know that this is going to be a very difficult budget year that is going to result in cuts of programs and definitely jobs,” school system spokesman Jay Dillon told the AJC on Thursday. “It is the worst anybody has seen … nothing is off the table.”
According to the AJC story:
The district says it suffered a $109 million loss in revenue from the homestead exemption and a freebie allowed since the 1970s that prohibits school property taxes from being levied on those age 62 and up. State funding cuts since 2003 have deprived Cobb of $197 million, district officials say.
Cobb employs more than 15,000 people. It began the school year with a budget deficit of about $58 million. By winter, Dillon said, that figure reached the $100 million threshold despite cost-cutting measures like a 2 percent pay reduction for staff, furlough days for teachers and other employees, and the elimination of programs and 14 technical support jobs. The district even dipped into its reserve fund, shifting $10 million to stop the hemorrhaging.
A parent video on the district’s Web site says that Cobb is in a “budget crisis.” Colorful pie charts and figures in bold red type flash on the screen warning that the school district is losing millions as the state continues to whack education funding and residents enjoy property tax discounts few neighboring counties allow.
“Now, like never before, education funding is facing a crisis that will result in a loss of services, academic programs and jobs,” the parent video says. “These changes will impact our children’s education and the quality of life we have come to expect. It is important that you as a taxpayer understand the basics of the school district budget so that you are prepared as the changes are approved and implemented. Your opinion on what should be prioritized will play an important role as decisions are made.’’
Dillon said that Cobb has not decided exactly which staff positions or programs will be eliminated. More information will be available as the state finishes its budget process. The district’s current budget is $883 million. Its next budget will be drafted in the spring and approved by the board on June 9.
Are there any Georgia districts that aren’t in desperate situations?
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106 comments Add your comment
cobb mom
March 11th, 2010
11:49 pm
And yet Cobb is expected to send I-don’t-know-how many millions to be redistributed to other counties under QBE. My kid has to sit in a classroom with 30 other kids, but my tax dollars are going elsewhere…what is wrong with this picture???
Why would we rather tax people in hospitals than allow alcohol sales on Sunday? Why would we rather cut education instead of raise the cigarette tax?? (and I don’t want to hear about that being a “tax on poor people” – some of those poor people are saving close to $30 per week per kid because they have free lunch – they can afford another buck on the cancer sticks). Why are we so dead set against allowing OTB or online gambling??? Why can’t we have a “Thanks for passing through Georgia” toll on I-95??? (works for Delaware). Why can’t we sell family appropriate advertising on the sides of school buses? Why can’t we get more creative?
Binford2K
March 12th, 2010
12:51 am
Did any counties anywhere ever save money or think about the future? The problem with government entities that they always spend all of the money in very inefficient ways, and never save any for when times may be tough. This lack of forethought is such a disease in our society!
That said, why don’t we cut all school jobs and let the kid slide further behind the world curve. That way, when the Chinese come in, they can implement what they want.
Seriously, about all politicians and government entities in the US should be vacated and people that actually know what they are doing and not on the lobby dole should make common sense decisions on how to run things. I’d rather be paying taxes for things that make our society better as a whole than 2 wars the have not really produced what they intended (more Iraq than Afghanistan). How many trillions have we spent over there?
They give HUGE contracts to Principals and Superintendents – start with voiding them! Cut the highest salaries for politicians, county commissioners, and over-paid (even in good times) lackeys.
Without education, the state and country will fall behind – never to catch up again.
Wake up people. Let us streamline as best we can, but take the hit for a core societal institution.
Free Market Educator
March 12th, 2010
2:49 am
Well, I guess they’ve discovered that public education is neither a “right” nor a Constitutional mandate. The Law of Economics is as reliable as gravity. If you continue to buy what you cannot afford, eventually you lose your shirt.
specialist teacher
March 12th, 2010
4:06 am
Still not understanding why every other metro county has a plan that has been revealed to teachers and the public on how they are going to deal with the budget crisis. Why is Cobb the lone county that has to “wait” for the legislature before making a budget? The only county that doesn’t have enough information yet to announce options for cuts? Will the media demand the answers? We all know Cobb doesn’t listen to parents, teachers, or a grand jury! So, it’s up to the media to demand full disclosure!
GA Teach
March 12th, 2010
6:24 am
They have to spend the money or they will lose it to other programs. That is the way government spending works. You spend what you have so they will give you more the next year because you did not have enough last year.
tcherlady77
March 12th, 2010
7:16 am
In Cobb, we are top heavy and yes I’m a Cobb teacher. Area superintendents are a waste. I have never laid eyes on my area superintedent and I’ve been in my school for four years! Area special education cluster supervisors should go next. Those two positions do not affect the classroom in the least bit. If Sanderson and his cronies were so concerned, Sanderson would forfeit his bonus. Last time I checked, he was not in my classroom actually teaching my kids, helping my school make AYP. Cobb is a joke – and as soon as I can, I will be taking my 10+ years of experience and certifications and go elsewhere.
LSH
March 12th, 2010
7:31 am
The article says “nothing is off the table”. I don’t see a massive cut to the sports program being considered. I think sports are great and needed when our kids are getting fatter and more unhealthy. But how is it that a program that costs so much money has has almost nothing to do with test scores and learning is not on the chopping block during these extreme times?
Steve
March 12th, 2010
7:36 am
Welcome to government spending run amok!!
I can’t fathom why anyone could possibly think the government can run health care with the continual failures of smaller programs. Local, state, or federal, it makes no difference. If there is one thing that has been proven time and again, it’s that the government is ripe with fradulent spending and rarely plans for it’s own future. Sure, it plans for everyone else, but continues the trend of burdening future taxpayers with more and more debt.
Just think, if we hadn’t have gotten so far in debt with some of the moronic pork politics and other far worse programs (28 person committee to research saving one type of turtoise) over the last few decades, then the government might be able to help work around this.
I do remember something about a famine in Egypt and how proper planning years in advance helped to save the populace over there. One might think we could take a lesson from that. Then again, our liberal manifesto public schools are trying so hard to push Darwinism that they probably ignore such a lesson due to it’s biblical ties.
By the way, I grew up in a 30 person class and I am doing just fine. It’s not the number of people in the class nor the teacher that makes the biggest difference. The biggest difference is the culture and family in which a child is raised. My parents (and the local game arcade) rewarded me handsomely for making good grades and punished me for my failures. This parent interaction is what made all the difference in a school system with terrible scores. There is also no doubt that this version of learning responsibility worked much better than the current ‘blame everyone else’ philosophy that we teach our kids to be perfectly fine by ridiculous programs such as ‘no child left behind’, welfare, and the soon to be the ‘middle-class subsidized health care for those who continually make bad decisions throughout their lives’ program.
say what?
March 12th, 2010
7:38 am
@Binford2K actually GA requires that every school system have 1 month of money for expenses set aside THAT CANNOT BE TOUCHED. Go figure.I would think this is a time to use the savings in part to at least reduce classroom size. But we are in GA.
Cobb may be playing it safe after seeing DeKalb in the AJC everytime something changes at the state level as far as revenue and the changes that the governor reports. When you are proactive, you are raked over the coals, when you wait you are raked over the now cooling coals that DeKalb was raked over. At least Gwinnett has gotten a notice that they are next to be discussed. Hopefully when AJC moves to Gwinnett they will be able to be more critical of Gwinnett schools and government. the excuse for being critical of Atlanta, fulton, and DeKalb has been that they are the closest to the AJC headquarters. Glad they are moving to Gwinnett to ruin it.
Make it a great day.
Too much misinformation
March 12th, 2010
8:05 am
@Binford2K – Actually Georgia has a law that doesn’t allow school systems to save for the future more than 15% of the next year’s expenditures. There really is no “rainy day” fund once the cuts get beyond this.
Millions have been gutted from the local school systems for the past 7 years by Sonny and the Republican legislature. Look at your local school system’s financial reports. There should be a State Revenue schedule and you will see a line item for “Austerity Reduction” or “Amended Formula Adjustment”. Add these up since 2002 and you will see how much state funding has been reduced over the years.
@say what? – There is no such requirement for 1 month of expenses to be set aside. In fact, look for many school systems to have negative balances in the next couple of years due to all of the reduced revenues.
@Free Market Educator – free public education is mandated by the Georgia Constitution.
Worried
March 12th, 2010
8:13 am
Last semester I had 32 ninth graders in my class. Was I able to teach them well? No. Was I able to give individual feedback? No. Yes, it will save money to increase my class size, but it will decrease learning and demoralize the teacher. As more expectations are put on us, more cuts are given. At some point my family will have to come first. I’m not a miracle worker. I need help and support in order to give YOUR child a decent education. Parents, community…please step in and volunteer. Help me with my grading, help me with disciplining your child…maybe then I won’t feel so exhausted and I can give my children the love and attention they need. If you keep burdening us, the trickle down effect may not be pleasant. I love teaching, but the pressure is becoming surreal.
Jen
March 12th, 2010
8:14 am
It is not just Cobb county.Cherokee has budget cuts, too. In fact, this is really a nationwide crisis, from what I’ve been reading, lately.
Rick
March 12th, 2010
8:18 am
We would have more money to spend on the children of US citizens and legal residents if we were not spending hundreds of millions of dollars on K-12 educations of the children of illegal aliens. This happens in each county from the metro-Atlanta area. $10,000 for each child each year starts to add up very fast. We need politicians that will put the interests of US citizens before those of foreign nationals in our country illegally!
Hey, It's Enrico Pallazzo!
March 12th, 2010
8:29 am
Georgia has 159 counties, which is second only to Texas (254). Each of these counties has a BOE, a superintendent and a central office. Instead of adding another (Milton), the state should be combining the less populated counties to reduce the amount of administrators. The redundancy of this old system costs millions every year. It would also save on adminstration of county services as well. Even more money could be saved.
Vince
March 12th, 2010
8:31 am
All of you criticizing government spending and school spending forget that it was the private sector (the banking industry) that got us into this current mess.
Stupid Gov't
March 12th, 2010
8:32 am
There are so many ways that we can raise money for our state. 1) alcohol sales on Sunday would be huge 2) legal gambling or casino’s 3)tolls on 75 and 85 entering and Atlanta 4) eliminating 5 principles at our schools- check out schools websites- they have 4 assit. prin. at each high school. One is in charge of 9th and 12th, one in charge of 10th, and so on. My wife is a school teacher in Fulton Co. and they waste millions on stupid things…example. They spent 10 million on text books that never even got used. They are sitting in a warehouse because it was the wrong cirri. for the kids. They have kids that need to be a special needs schools that have challenges, that are taking up time and money and they aren’t getting the help they deserve. There are so many other things out there that are a waste. There are also some teachers out there that don’t deserve to be a teacher. They should go back and look at these teachers each year or two and see how they are doing. By cutting teachers down the board, they are eliminating good teachers and keeping the dumb ones that hate kids. That is just an example..not true all across the board.
Why is it that a local citizen can see all of this but the people that make $300,000 a year are so blind. We should call for all of there jobs and get people that really care. Obama, were are our children’s bailout? Thanks for saving the crooks on Wall Street… maybe our children that don’t get a good education can join them in 20 years because all they will learn is how to steal to better themself.
Bottom line is that our State Government has no idea what they are doing!!!!!!! The all should be fired!!!!
Jen
March 12th, 2010
8:37 am
Oh, and even though I believe we have a nationwide crisis, I think our state should be responding better. Approving money for a new sports dome in the midst of these educational cuts sort of suggests to me where their priorities are…
MOBFIGURE
March 12th, 2010
8:57 am
If the District is truly trying to save money they should reduce the size of the Central office staff and increase the size of the local school staff. For instance, Cobb county schools definitely needs more Social Workers and Counselors at every level. After the Austell floods, it is obvious that the school district needs more support personnel in order to address future calamities.
blackbird13
March 12th, 2010
9:11 am
Alcohol sales on Sunday, regardless of the budget situation, should be allowed. Would someone please explain to me how prohibiting Sunday sales is not a violation of the First Amendment?
And please, don’t even try the “it would increase duis and domestic violence” argument. If that is the reason, then Friday night sales are what should be banned. And if people are truly worried about the increase in duis, make dui a felony and increase the fines.
Sick&Tired
March 12th, 2010
9:29 am
Actually, I believe a 1 cent sales tax across the entire state is best. Why should only the smokers, alcoholics and unhealthy people pay for this crisis? They didn’t cause it and will have to sacrifice as well. By the way, I don’t smoke, drink and I am considerably healthy.
Why do we always want to punish a specific group for the ills of all of us?
jj
March 12th, 2010
9:42 am
School districts ARE required to have 5% of their total budget in reserves. Before all this mess started Cobb had over $100,000,000 in reserves, which seems like a lot until you realize the District had over a $1bb budget at the time. So we had around 10% in reserves but on a $1bb budget that is only about 45 days of cash.
If you go on any Cobb County school web site and look at total staff, and then count teachers of the basics, Math, Science, Social Studies, and English you will find they rarely make up 50% of the total.
The liberals have demended specialists for everything and everyone; come to our country illegally and can’t speak the language, no problem we have a specialest for that…….and the list goes on and on. NCLB, mainstreaming, resource specialist, curricula specialist, multiple levels of councilors…..they all cost!
If less than 50% of staff teach and 90% of the budget is salary, then $400mm of the current budget is for some type of support, not teaching.
Parents may need to pick up the slack with their own child and stop expecting the educational system to be educator, parent, guardian, and moral compass. I’m sure I will come across as heartless but if you had the child you take care of them, the “village” can’t afford it any more. I don’t have a problem if my taxes go up to support education and I don’t have any children in the school system.
Aquagirl
March 12th, 2010
9:43 am
Cobb is home to Lockheed-Martin. They could sell one of those $113 million F-35’s at a yard sale.
commonsense
March 12th, 2010
10:01 am
Isn’t this the same county that is spending over a million to put artificial turf in all the county football stadiums?
Tone Loc
March 12th, 2010
10:15 am
Never ceases to amaze me at the complaining people do. If you don’t like your situation…leave the situation. Don’t like the way things are being run…run for public office yourself! Bottom line, those thinking Cobb is so bad, go ahead and leave to another district…we will see you back here posting about how well you had it in Cobb.
Cutty
March 12th, 2010
10:21 am
Yeah JJ, its the liberals running things in fiscally, conservative (or so I thought) Cobb County.
Ray
March 12th, 2010
10:28 am
Seriously though, could anything better define us as ‘backwards’ than the states handling of our children’s education?
And what’s up with the AJC referring to the increase of class size and a shorter school year as being ‘help’ for schools?
At the same time the GOP faux cries with a concern for how the deficit will ’saddle’ our children with debt, they are all too eager to rob those same kids of a decent education.
Yes, BACKWARDS.
KMA
March 12th, 2010
10:30 am
How can Cobb School system continue to let supervisors drive county vehicles home and any where they desire? Mr. Sanderson and Mr. Dillon should be willing to for go there bonus. What a waste also too many empty school buses.
Bow Your Head in Shame, COBB!!!
March 12th, 2010
10:33 am
Also from the same article:
Poore said that last year several young teachers were let go after their third year before they could become tenured in what he believes was a cost-saving strategy. Some of the teachers whose contracts were not renewed for a fourth year had been recruited nationally and internationally to make the staff more diverse, he said.
“Many were in good standing their first two years,” he said. “In the third year all of a sudden we are in a budget crunch, the person didn’t have tenure, and they were released.”
Dillon said contract nonrenewals are not used for cost-cutting, but are disciplinary in nature for performance issues.
Poore said he understands the district also is considering not paying teachers a stipend for having master’s degrees and doctorates. “There is only so much you can do for morale when your paycheck keeps getting smaller,” he said.
*****
They literally destroyed some young teachers!!! Why couldn’t they have have just said that we cannot renew you because the budget won’t allow it? Why did they have to fabricate disciplinary and unfounded performance lies and destroy these people’s lives? Slime bags!!! The whole system should collapse until they get some scrupulous leaders.
TeachinCobb
March 12th, 2010
10:38 am
Not pay stipends to teachers holding advanced degrees? I can see this if the teacher has a master’s in educational administration, but stays in the classroom. What about those for whom a master’s degree is required by the state for their particular subject area certification? Not fair in my book.
Jim007
March 12th, 2010
10:44 am
Where is all that Lottery Money Going ???
Bow Your Head in Shame, COBB!!!
March 12th, 2010
10:44 am
From the same AJC article:
Poore said that last year several young teachers were let go after their third year before they could become tenured in what he believes was a cost-saving strategy. Some of the teachers whose contracts were not renewed for a fourth year had been recruited nationally and internationally to make the staff more diverse, he said.
“Many were in good standing their first two years,” he said. “In the third year all of a sudden we are in a budget crunch, the person didn’t have tenure, and they were released.”
Dillon said contract nonrenewals are not used for cost-cutting, but are disciplinary in nature for performance issues.
Poore said he understands the district also is considering not paying teachers a stipend for having master’s degrees and doctorates. “There is only so much you can do for morale when your paycheck keeps getting smaller,” he said.
*****
Why did they have to literally destroy the lives of some young teachers for no good reason other than to cut their budget? Why didn’t they just tell them that they couldn’t afford to renew they? NOOOOOO, they had to cut the rug from under these people with lies of destruction about disciplinary or performance covers. They are slime bags!! After these young people spent their money to prepare for this noble profession, some with young children and life responsibilities, to have them just slit their throats like pigs at slaughter was a sin and a shame.
It’s personal to me because my daughter was one. Three years a star teacher according to the same principal who in the fourth…tenure…year followed the now obvious school system directive and destroy a persons future. The evaluation to accomplish their goal follows those teachers to another system and negatively affects their chance of getting hired somewhere else.
I’m sorry readers. This article and the revelations in it just brought the anger back up in me.
jj
March 12th, 2010
10:51 am
Cutty, you are right I shouldn’t have made my crack about liberals, but it also appears you missed the whole point of what I wrote.
The social agenda, be it from liberal or conservative, is no longer affordable. Let teachers teach and stop asking them to be the parents. If you take “social services” out of the school budget you have plenty of money for education. And compared to most counties in the US Cobb gets very high marks for how it is managed. It’s a long way from perfect but better than most, how would you like to be in California or Illionis with their budget problems?
Do some research folks
March 12th, 2010
10:53 am
Before you start blabbing Rush Limbaugh talking points, talking about bloated administration, or blaming this on illegal immigrants(that’s a really tiny cost folks) watch this video on the Cobb 2010 budget and inform yourself.
http://www.http://www.cobbk12.org/.org/
1. SPLOST by law can only be used for capital projects. It doesn’t fund teachers salaries or operating costs.
2. Cobb has the lowest administrative costs in the entire metro.
3. Cobb is virtually the only place where people 62 and up don’t pay school property taxes. If they did we wouldn’t have a problem
4. The federal government only provides about 1% budget(mostly grants), so this isn’t an issue of federal funding.
5. Cobb through QBE basically donates 100 million to the state that goes to mostly rural school districts. People whine a lot about south Cobb or Fulton about south Fulton, but the real wealth distribution in this state is suburbs to rural areas. I guess complaining about mostly working class and poor white people benefiting from suburban wealth doesn’t fit a lot of peoples agenda as well as complaining about poor minorities.
6. Once again building projects, football stadiums, new schools, etc. are funded mostly by SPLOST not property taxes. Get your facts straight.
7. Cobb spends more on classroom instruction in relation to administrative costs than almost anywhere in the state, so cuts in the general fund will cost classroom teachers their jobs and increase class sizes.
Please folks this is serious. Don’t blabber unless you know the facts. It’s not productive to use platitudes. We can either make people 62 and over pay more property taxes or increase class sizes and dismiss classroom teachers in good standing. If that happens Cobb will lose their trust and many will leave the county and never come back. If this happens Cobb will have a harder time recruiting teachers because teachers won’t trust the Cobb school system. Cobb got where it is on the reputation of schools, so if schools decline Cobb goes with it along with your property values.
Bow Your Head in Shame, COBB!!!
March 12th, 2010
10:55 am
Not only is what Mr. Poore said true, unless you lived it, you CANNOT IMAGINE the emotional abuse that these principals put the victimized teachers through. We suspected that it was to reduce the budget and tell the other counties that they didn’t have to lay off as some of them did, but instead, what was not widely known was that the Cobb system slit the throats of young teachers to cut their budget and looked like a success story that could manage their budget better than others. LIES!!! They played dirtier. Sinfully dirtier.
Bow Your Head in Shame, COBB!!!
March 12th, 2010
10:57 am
I guess my first post got eaten up at the AJC buffet.
RJ
March 12th, 2010
10:57 am
From my understanding, Henry county has informed music and art teachers that their positions will be cut next year as well.
Do some research folks
March 12th, 2010
11:01 am
Before you start blabbing Rush Limbaugh talking points, talking about bloated administration, or blaming this on illegal immigrants(that’s a really tiny cost folks) watch this video on the Cobb 2010 budget and inform yourself.
http://www.http://www.cobbk12.org/.org/
1. SPLOST by law can only be used for capital projects. It doesn’t fund teachers salaries or operating costs.
2. Cobb has the lowest administrative costs in the entire metro.
3. Cobb is virtually the only place where people 62 and up don’t pay school property taxes. If they did we wouldn’t have a problem
4. The federal government only provides about 1% budget(mostly grants), so this isn’t an issue of federal funding.
5. Cobb through QBE basically donates 100 million to the state that goes to mostly rural school districts. People whine a lot about south Cobb or Fulton about south Fulton, but the real wealth distribution in this state is suburbs to rural areas. I guess complaining about mostly working class and poor white people benefiting from suburban wealth doesn’t fit a lot of people agenda as much as complaining about poor minorities.
6. Once again building projects, football stadiums, new schools, etc. are funded mostly by SPLOST not property taxes. Get your facts straight.
7. Cobb spends more on classroom instruction in relation to administrative costs almost anywhere in the state, so cuts in the general fund will cost classroom teachers their jobs and increase class sizes.
Please folks this is serious. Don’t blabber unless you know the facts. It’s not productive to us platitudes. We can either make people 62 and over pay more property taxes or increase class sizes and dismiss classroom teachers in good standing. If that happens Cobb will lose their trust and many will leave the county and never come back. From now on Cobb will have a harder time recruiting teachers because teachers won’t trust the Cobb school system. Cobb go where it is on the reputation of schools, so if schools decline Cobb goes with it along with your property values.
John Q
March 12th, 2010
11:02 am
I see a huge teacher walkout next year if salaries are cut again. These people spent their own money to earn advanced degrees in their subject area to further their education, to become better educators, and Cobb wants to cut the stipend for it???
Cut the leadership stipend, reduce admin in each school.
Remember that the majority of teachers are still women and a large % of are second income earning in their homes! It’s not a far strecth to think that they would not just leave rather than stay around for this disrepect and abuse.
CCSD raise thew millage rate.
Ga. lawmakers implement a short term 1 cent sales tax on everything. Put politics aside and do everything you can to save what education we have in Ga. Everyone knows that republicans are ‘all in’ when it comes to vouchers and charters but what is the difference between the system at we currently have and a future all voucher system. Both will be controlled by state revenue from yr to yr. Voucher parents will never have a dependable dollar amount from the state.
When all the current teachers that are believed to be so bad are rehired at all the private schools/charter schools to handle the influx of students running from broke public schools, won’t we be right back in the same boat.
Musicteacher
March 12th, 2010
11:04 am
@RJ: I teach in Henry County. Half of the elementary art and music positions have been cut for next year. Each teacher will serve two schools.
Angry in Cobb
March 12th, 2010
11:06 am
I am a former Cobb teacher and the wife of a current Cobb teacher. I think we need to re-evaluate why we have so many 6-figured salaries for positions at the Admin building. These useless people will keep their jobs, even though they have never proven a direct benefit to kids in the classroom. For each of these useless admin positions, we stand to lose 2, 3, or 4 classroom teachers.
When you think about who has the most impact on a student’s education and achievement, the only answer is the classroom teacher. Let’s cut everything but teachers: extra-curricular programs (yes, I do mean SPORTS), field trips, and other non-essentials. We’re already 49th in education, which is really embarrassing. Everyone is facing budget cuts, but have found other ways to slash spending. How about a 4 day school week? Shortening the school year? Removing the useless professional development days before and after the school year?
And what about the millions in SPLOST dollars that have been approved for astroturf? Why can’t we have some kind of special election to reroute these funds? Think of how many jobs that would save.
JustWondering
March 12th, 2010
11:07 am
I know lets spend all the money on WARS.
dadincobb
March 12th, 2010
11:10 am
Raise property taxes to comparable levels of other ATL metro area counties. Cobb Education people are so proud of SLOST. That’s great, we will have new windows at my kids school, but a loss of teachers. At one PTA meeting the School Board member bragged of how Cobb School district is so disciplined, and has no debt, thus keeping property taxes down for residents. He also explained how 99% of the revenue(non-SPLOST)is used for salaries and other essentials such as utilities. Well that is a wonderful plan, if there is any shortfall in revenues from taxes, that means your broke and in immediately in trouble. Our PTA in past years has spent money on high tech white boards and student feedback remote controls. Sounds wonderful, until you realize that teachers have limited budgets (that often run out) to make copies for standard classroom work. I hope the board has enough intelligence to cut waste and get back to what is essential to education. I hope organizations that support schools (PTA for example), step up and make good decisions regarding parent/community monetary support. Just more evidence of government stupidity, even at the local level. This is trickle down disaster from the federal level on down to PTA organiations.
John Q
March 12th, 2010
11:15 am
The biggest problem is this… until this directly affects little Susie and little Johnnie, a large portion of parents just do not care. Less than 15% parent participation in our school. We are at a very successful Cobb HS. Unfortunately, school has become a child sitting service for most parents. They have no idea what happens on a daily basis at their child’s school and only show up or call when an educator contacts them with a problem. or the parent finally calls the school to set-up a password so they can check grades the last week before finals.
Shameful.
Educators in the classromm will lose their careers because parents are sitting by letting the state and Cobb Board add 5 to 8 students to HS classrooms. Removing all hope of discipline in schools.
Your child will be sitting in a class, on the floor, with a low paid ($8 p/hr) staffer supervising the group while one teacher in a classroom down the hall teaches subject matter over a closed-circuit tv.
Believe it!
Why Not?
March 12th, 2010
11:26 am
Cobb County Schools has not raised the miliage rate in years. Why not increase the rate–Cobb is much lower than neighboring counties–maybe they should think about this as an option rather than get rid of teachers.
Also, part-time teachers are so valuable. They have more experience, expertise, loyalty, county does not have to pay for benefits, and you get 4 classes taught for the price of one full-time teacher who only teaches 3 classes per day. So sad to get rid of many valuable teachers!
a thought
March 12th, 2010
11:31 am
I can’t go to board meetings and present these ideas because we are bullied into not attending for fear of losing our jobs- so much for zero tolerance on bullying!
Get rid of all these textbook adoptions- waste of money
Get rid of all the area superintendents and all these people with assistants to assistants
Put a referendum out to vote to the citizens of Cobb to re-route SPLOST money in times of need (that 88 million of astro-turf could cover a lot of the shortage). Put limits on it that is a one time deal!
Do NOT rebuild Clarkdale- use that money for other things.
Sell the now useless Senteo technology to other districts.
Same with all the projectors that are brand new but being replaced because of another company winning that bid.
Sell the useless white pull down screens that you mounted Smart & Promethean boards overtop.
Once a month, have a 4 day school week. It only will add about 16-18 minutes to the rest of the month’s school days. That saves transportation costs, utilities, & energy costs.
Remove all the coffee pots, microwaves, refrigerators, fancy lights, and other extraneous items from the classroom. There is a break room, use the fridge there- this would save THOUSANDS on the electric bill.
John Q
March 12th, 2010
11:34 am
raising the millage rate would solve a big chunk of the problems along with a short term 1% sales tax. property owners are already hit hard. I’d guess a big portion of Cobb students live in apartments so property owners are paying for others. Drop bus service or allow advertising on buses. rename the schools for the highest bidder.
John Q
March 12th, 2010
11:39 am
a thought- I like your ideas. Too bad Cobb teachers are effectively banned from board meeting with many during the day and teachers being scared to speak out. It’s my understanding that all the students and staff at Clarkdale were easily absorbed into local buildings. So it makes no sense to rebuild now. The 4-day wk once a month or more frequent would save dollars and is a great idea.
Cobb claims to have the lowest cost and smallest central staff – make it smaller.
Cobb Taxpayer
March 12th, 2010
11:42 am
This “article” is so full of misinformation and skewed suggestions that it rather pointless to comment on the content ! We need some journalist and PR folks to release and write with reliable and accurate information ! This is simply awful !
a thought
March 12th, 2010
11:44 am
Thanks John Q. I know they make sense…therefore we can pretty much guarantee they will not be used!
A note about that central staff issue- their way of cutting central office by 11% was to pull in the technology group under the central office umbrella (it had never been that way), and cut them about 33%, effectively reducing central office by 11%. Nobody truly at central office lost their job. They didn’t advertise that fact.
Cobb Parent
March 12th, 2010
11:52 am
I think more bus routes need to be consolidated. Walking half a mile to the bus stop is not the end of the world. Or charge students a fee for using the bus just like we charge for school lunches. We also should consider an overhaul of funding sources. I agree with the others – putting advertising on buses, adding in corporate sponsorships in schools and renting out the school facilities for community events all need to be considered.
If cuts in teachers have to happen, make those cuts in peripheral areas first (music, pe, vocational, etc.) and avoid them in core subjects (math, language arts, science, social studies, etc.). Perhaps make these non-core areas tuition classes. Raise student fees so that everything non-teacher related is paid for by students and their families (this would also give people a larger vested interest in their schools and a greater incentive to hold their schools accountable).
When the economy recovers, then we can bring back more free services or drop the corporate money. But right now, if the money’s not there, you either have to produce it or you can’t afford certain luxuries.